Locomotive construction



June 26, 1934.

W. M. SHEEHAN LOCOMOTIVE CONSTRUCTION Filed May 27. 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l A for/26y June 26, 1934. w M, AN 1,964,986

LOCOMOTIVB CONSTRUCTION Filed May 27. 1932 '2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 26, 1934 UNlTED STATES l,964,ii8ii PATENT OFFICE.

LQCQMOTIVE CONSTRUCTION Application May 27, 1932, Serial No. 613,851

8 Claims.

This invention relates to railway rolling stock and particularly to the construction of a locomotive cylinder saddle and an intermediate boiler course carried thereby.

Where the locomotive boiler is unusually long, and in the case of articulated locomotives, it is necessary to support the boiler intermediate the smoke box at the front and the fire box at the rear. In an articulated locomotive, this additional support mounts the rear cylinders. The intermediate portion of the boiler, according to present practice, is formed of a series of substantially cylindrical sections or courses of boiler steel. The additional support is secured to one 5 of the intermediate courses.

If the rivets or other elements securing the boiler to the additional support are loosened or if the portion of the boiler sheet adjacent this support is damaged, repairs are made with difficulty because the boiler is substantially filled with tubes which must be removed in order to gain access to the interior of the boiler wall.

The object of the present invention is to strengthen and lighten the intermediate boiler course and cylinder saddle and associated structure by forming the complete boiler course in a unitary integral structure with the cylinder saddle, cylinders, valve chambers and exhaust passages. This object and other detail objects are attained substantially by the structures illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side view of a structure illustrating the invention, portions being broken away and the lower parts being shown in section on line 1-1 of Figure 2.

Figure 2 is in part a front view of the structure and in part a section taken on the line 22 of Figure 3, the central portion of the cylindrical boiler course wall being eliminated.

Figure 3 is a substantially horizontal section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

he structure illustrated includes a cylindrlcal wall 1 forming a complete intermediate boiler course for an articulated locomotive and having a bulged portion 2 at the top forming a steam dome which is provided with an opening 2 for facilitating insertion of equipment and access to the interior of the StlllCtlllG. In the assembled locomotive, a substantial portion of the intermediate portion of the boiler, of which this course forms part, is occupied by tubing indicated at 4 in Figure 2.

Depending from the lower part of wall 1 is a cylinder saddle structure including a central box shaped boiler support portion having transverse and longitudinal walls 5 and 6 which merge with the cylindrical wall 1, portions of the walls 5 being extended sidewardly of walls 6 to form bracing ribs '7, and portions of the walls 6 being extended longitudinally beyond Walls 5 to form ribs 8. Located at the sides of the walls 6 are cylinder structures including main steam cylinders 9 and valve chambers 10, each valve cham ber being provided with an exhaust passage 11.

Pairs of spaced bolting flanges 12 at the bottom of the structure are provided for engaging the locomotive underframe. Between these flanges in the lower part of the support member is an articulated hinge connection comprising a longitudinal opening 13 and perforated upper and lower bosses 14 for accommodating the connecting pin. Above the hinge connection is a Y-shaped exhaust steam passage having a forward opening 15 for connection with the receiver pipe extending along the forward underframe unit to the front cylinders, and having latrally extending branches 16, each merging with the adjacent exhaust passage 11.

The above described structure substantially decreases the weight of the usual buil -up struc- 5-;

ture by eliminating the duplicated bolting surfaces necessary for assembling a multiplicity of separately formed parts. Also the necessity of frequent inspection and repairing of bolted and riveted connections between saddle and the adjacent cylinders and boiler course is eliminated, these parts being formed in a unitary member without joints or seams.

The inventive features above disclosed may be advantageously utilized in locomotives other than the articulated locomotive for which the illustrated structure is particularly adapted. Obviously, the invention may be modified as to various details according to the type of locomotive for which the structure is intended, and the exclusive use of these and such other modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims is contemplated.

What is claimed is:

1. An integral cast metal structure comprising a locomotive intermediate boiler course, a boiler support member depending therefrom and comprising spaced parallel frame engaging bolting flanges extending longitudinally of the boiler, main steam cylinders at the sides of said memher, and transversely extending elements bracing said cylinders from said flanges and said boiler course.

2. An integral cast metal structure comprising a locomotive intermediate boiler course, a boiler support member depending therefrom, and a main steam cylinder and a valve chamber at the side of said member and respective connections between said cylinder and member, between said chamber and course, and between said cylinder and chamber.

3. An integral cast metal structure comprising a locomotive intermediate boiler course, boiler supporting upright webs depending therefrom, main steam cylinders and valve chambers at the sides of said webs, a horizontal web forming a tie between said cylinders, said webs and a portion of said course forming a box-shaped member, exhaust steam passages extending from said chambers inwardly through opposite side walls of said member and meeting each other and terminating in a common passage extending through an end wall of said member, the walls of said passages merging with the walls of said member.

4. An integral cast metal unit comprising a locomotive intermediate boiler course, a boiler support member depending therefrom, a steam cylinder structure at the side of said member, and a rib merging with said member, with said course at a point spaced from said member, and with said cylinder, said rib bracing all of said parts.

5. An integral cast metal unit comprising a locomotive intermediate boiler course, a boiler support member depending therefrom, a dome at the top of said course, an articulated hinge connection in the lower part of said member, cylinder structures at the sides of said member including main steam cylinders, valve chambers,

and steam passages, and ribs merging with said member, with said course, and with said structures and bracing the same, there being a steam passage in said member having a single opening at one end and spaced openings at the other end merging with the passages in said cylinder structures.

6. A locomotive integral cast structure comprising a boiler box-like support member, cylinder supporting elements at the sides of said member, and a continuous imperforate web covering the top of said member and extending substantially beyond the same and forming part of a boiler course.

'7. A locomotive integral cast metal structure comprising a lower boiler support member with a laterally projecting cylinder supporting element, an upper curved part constituting a boiler course, and a brace extending between portions of said element and said curved part spaced from said member.

8. A locomotive one-piece cast structure comprising spaced main steam cylinders, vertically spaced horizontal webs between said cylinders, and upright webs merging with said horizontal webs to form a box-like structure for carrying these cylinders and supporting the boiler, the top wall of said structure being extended to form a boiler course to which other courses may be secured independently of each other and at the front and rear of said cylinders.

WILLIAM M. SHEEHAN. 

